Consumer appetite for access to live events (such as music concerts and sporting events) has been growing in recent years. Technological developments have also increased consumer expectations and demands for interactivity in the media which they consume.
Thus far, the internet has only been used in a limited manner to provide consumers access to live events.
The conventional means of providing access to live events have many limitations. For example, actually attending a live event offers tremendous appeal, but the venue at which the live event is held will have a limited capacity. Furthermore, the price of a ticket to many of the most popular live events may be a barrier to some spectators. The distance that spectators may have to travel to reach the live events, and the associated inconvenience and cost, is yet another limitation on access to the event.
Television and radio broadcasts provide access to live events over a wider geographical area more conveniently. However, radio broadcasts fail to capture the visual appeal of the event and television footage is increasingly restricted to those who subscribe to expensive television packages (often provided through cable, satellite or terrestrial digital broadcasts). In addition, the popularity of such television services is thought to be likely to decline in the future with consumers seeking more interactive and less passive forms of entertainment.